About ASAP

Growing Minds is a program of Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project. ASAP’s mission is to help local farms thrive, link farmers to markets and supporters, and build healthy communities through connections to local food.

November

Mr. and Mrs. Moose invite all their animal friends for Thanksgiving dinner and the only one missing is Turkey. When they set out to find him, Turkey is quaking with fear because he doesn’t realize that his hosts want him at their table, not on it.

When her mom runs out of potatoes, Sue sets out to learn where the new potatoes will come from. The journey takes her to the grocery store, the warehouse that supplies the store, and the farm that supplies the warehouse.

Mr. and Mrs. O’Grady are very poor and they are down to their last potato. But then they uncover a mysterious pot in their garden, and when they put one thing in, two come out! What will they do with it?

In a valley between two towns at war lives a woman, her two sons, and a potato farm. To protect them from the war she builds a wall around her home and garden. But one day, both boys decide that they would be happier with the soldiers.

Review activities that happen on the farm and animals that live there. Make the connection between farms and the food we eat each day, emphasizing the importance of community farms. Introduce letter writing, specifically thank you letters, and guide students in writing thank you letters to farmers in your county or region.

Downloads

After weeks of hard work and tending to her garden, it was finally time for Ma Farmer to harvest her sweet potato and make some sweet potato pie; but when she tried to pull the tasty vegetable from the ground, it wouldn’t budge. With the help of her husband and some friendly farm animals, they finally pull a gigantic sweet potato from the ground and then all enjoy the sweet potato pie Ma Farmer prepares. This story teaches the importance of team work, patience, and eating healthy, local food!